Big Fun in the "Big D"

So, last week, Torrey and I drove to Dallas to spend a long weekend with Melinda, Gretchen and Megan. Megan's volleyball team was participating in the Junior Olympic Volleyball thingy at the convention center ... it was kind of neat because there were several girls on both the 12- and 13-year old teams that went to school with Torrey in Orlando. We stayed at a beautiful hotel in downtown Dallas (The Fairmount) and navigated our way around town (thanks to the Garmin ... we only had to "recalculate" a few times!) Torrey had gotten her braces the day before, so the trip was a good distraction ... because Brother! was she in pain! So, here are a few pictures from the trip ...

When Melinda said we were going to a volleyball competition, I didn't know she meant I was going to a volleyball competition! Fact: the 12 year old team that won the championship could have taken me blindfolded. They were good. We didn't stay to see the 13 year old team championship ... I'm sure they would have beaten me blindfolded AND sitting in a chair!
I always get a little happy to find an allee ... I wish I could figure out a way to plant one in my backyard. Here are Torrey and Gretchen on Day 1 ... I think I might have heard Torrey whisper to Gretchen, "Just smile and get it over with!"
This little cabin is the actual cabin of the first settler of Dallas. The plaque says "Bryan Cabin". It is literally in the middle of downtown. I saw it when I was 12 on my way through Dallas while on a mission trip to Mexico ... I really thought it was in a big grassy field then. Who knows. I will say this ... it was hot this day. I mean really hot. I didn't think it could get any hotter ... and then came Day 2!

One last pose on our way out of town ... I realized we really hadn't taken any pictures of the skyline (we really didn't take that many pictures to begin with!) We were tired and hungry and dreaming of a grand slam from Denny's (OK ... that was me. I had been talking about it since the night before!)

It is always nice to meet up with friends. This wasn't our first "Girl's Weekend" (we did Chicago in 2004) and I'm sure it won't be our last ... we were all sad when it came time to put our sweet friends back on the plane!

16 Years ... and Counting!

16 years ago today I married my best friend ... given the way marriages come and go today, I consider it a great feat that we are STILL married and STILL friends! No body makes me laugh like Dean. Or protects me like Dean. Or fights for me like Dean. Or encourages me to be all that I am meant to be like Dean. Love is a choice. Marriage is a choice. And, after all these years, I would choose him all over again! Happy Anniversary Honey!

GRETCHEN!

How old were you when you met your best friend? I mean that true-blue, can't imagine life without them best friend? Torrey met Gretchen when she was 3. If you had told me then that Gretchen was her "it" girl I would have thought how can a 3 year old know? They know. Torrey knew. Gretchen has always been a part of Torrey's life. She didn't mind in the beginning that Tor couldn't say her "g's" and called her "Dretchen". She didn't mind that Torrey was a little bossy. She agreed that Torrey could marry Austin ... at least that was Torrey's joyful story when she came home from pre-school that day. She was quick to encourage Torrey to try something that she was scared to do ... and even quicker to understand when she wouldn't. She always let Torrey go first ... once when she didn't, Torrey bit her finger. True story. We were mortified ... Torrey was 5 for crying out loud! When we were watching Kenneth Michael's hamster and had to clean the cage Gretchen came over to get the thing out of the cage because he hissed at me and Torrey ... not Gretchen. She has a calm way about her. Gretchen always made sure to include Torrey in every good thing she did. Gretchen took Torrey camping because she knew Torrey's mother would NEVER go camping! Everyone should have a "Gretchen" in their lives ... Torrey knew a good thing when she saw it! And now it is the night before we get to spend the week with Gretchen. It has been over a year since the girls have seen each other ... somehow I have a sneaky feeling it will feel just like yesterday!

Brace Yourself!

It was time. Quarter to 4 (because Townsends are always early ... we just roll like that). Time for braces. I won't say she went in kicking and screaming, but it wasn't exactly a day at Disney World either!

One last picture before heading in. Since she blinked on the first one I had to take another one ... I made the executive decision to NOT go into the little room with her and turn it into a full on photo shoot when she muttered under her breath, "EMBARRASSING!" Sometimes I am nice like that!
And, here we are at home with the braces. She has already organized all of her "braces supplies" in a little bag (that she brought with her ... she did it on the way home) ... so not like me!
You can't see it in the picture, but her rubber bands (which I have no idea what they are, but am a little embarrassed to admit to the orthodontist after last week's "spacer" question) are pink. She really wanted the yellow because they were sparkly ... fortunately we had told her a few days ago that yellow is not a good choice for rubber bands. But, they were sparkly!

We head out to Dallas in the morning to meet up with Melinda, Gretchen and Megan for a long girl's weekend ... should be fun!

Um, What Exactly ARE Spacers?

I know, I should have asked the question loooong before sending Torrey off to have the things put in her mouth. Do you think the orthodontist noticed that I was wearing my "Mother of the Year" pin at the time?! Torrey is getting braces (today in fact) and last Wednesday she went in to have spacers put in so that the braces could be put on today. We were all on edge ... sometimes the not knowing will do that to you!

One last picture without spacers/braces ... the smile looks almost real! She had just come out of the dentist after having her teeth cleaned (no cavities ... Uncle Jack would be so proud!) and we were on her way to the orthodontist. (Fact ... Our dentist and orthodontist are married. They do not work in the same office. No explanation needed.)
Dean met us at the orthodontist. So glad he did. We all had to watch a movie about anything and everything that can go wrong with braces. (Fact ... You can not play soccer while wearing head gear. Honestly, I have always thought that kids who have to wear that thing do not want to wear it out in public, never mind at a soccer game. And, if you are wearing head gear at your soccer game, do you really say to yourself, "I think it will be a great idea to hit this hard ball with my head while wearing my head gear!") She was fine up to the point of seeing the head gear. Fortunately head gear is not in her future. Bring on the soccer balls!
She left us and was back in about 2 minutes (really!) with eight expensive rubber bands in her mouth. They are the little blue thingies. We have counted and counted those things all week. We are proud to say we haven't lost one (Torrey is really glad because if one was lost chances are she would have eaten it!) She was in a bit of pain for a few days. Today she told me she didn't even feel them anymore ... just in time for the braces!

And, really, what do you get when you have to get braces? In our house an iPod. And, no, we are not taking applications to adopt any kids who are about to get braces!

Come back later tonight to see pictures of the actual braces!

Goodbye Gum!

Torrey chewed her last piece of gum for 2+ years today ... and forlornly said, "Goodbye gum!" in the middle of chewing! That's right ... tomorrow she gets spacers and the following week she gets her braces. We really have no idea what spacers are, but we are assuming they will not be comfortable ... there will be lots of trips to Starbucks for fraps and Randall's (our grocery store) for soup (can I just say they make the yummiest soup ... ever!)

We did make it home from our trip to NC. As we came down the street Dean commented that he hoped the house would still be standing and that there wouldn't be any water damage ... we were thrilled and offered a prayer of thanks when the house was both still standing and dry! (To explain ... the day after we got home from the family Christmas cruise one of our hot water tanks leaked. Ordinarily this would not be a cause for major concern, but in Texas they put hot water heaters IN THE ATTIC and the leak was discovered on the first floor. Only in TX would hot water heaters be in the attic ... but that is another post!) We hit Monday running and haven't stopped since ... Torrey and I are volunteering at Princess Prep at Second Baptist, there was grocery shopping, picking up pets from being boarded at the vet (boy did they miss us!), Torrey went to her summer rush group (which is her discipleship group at church) ... and it is only Tuesday!

I will post before and after "spacers" pictures tomorrow ... and I will try to finish posting about the rest of the vacation this week. Oh, and watch for Zack pictures soon ... I took his "before" pictures today .. he heads to the "Doggy Spa" tomorrow. Really. That is what it is. Only in Texas!

New Year -- New Kite

Before we left Texas, I must have thought 100 times, "Don't forget to bring a kite. Don't forget to bring a kite." Well, guess what I forgot?! Good grief! We must have been in NC about 30 minutes before Dean and Torrey were off to Kitty Hawk Kites to buy a new kite (to go along with the 1/2 dozen we have in the garage from the years I "forgot" to bring them!) We love to go to the beach at dusk to fly kites ... there is something magical about the beach at night. So, on our second night on the Outerbanks, we headed to the beach with Linda and Paul to fly Torrey's kite.
This year's kite is definitely a cutie! Torrey picked this one because it reminded her of our dog, Zack. And, when you have an "accidental" kite collection you really have to begin to get creative (because how many diamond shaped kites do you need?!)
We needed Paul's help to get the kite up in the air. Actually, the weather was perfect for flying kites ... I think Dean could have just put the thing on the beach and gotten it up in the air!
And, here is Dean flying the kite. I didn't get a picture of Torrey flying the kite because, well ...
she didn't! She felt the lure of the ocean instead! Poor Dean! He had to fly the thing all by himself! Oh well ... I am sure we will be back again another night! We were going to go out for ice cream afterwards, but the line had about 30 people in it (Paul thought they were all from one family since they all looked alike ... how he could tell that as we whizzed by at 40 mph I'll never know!) so, we stopped at the store and bought ice cream gallons instead! Who know's what adventures tomorrow will bring!